Circular knitting machine



,'arch 13, 19,34. R. K. MILLS CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5,1932 8 Sheets-Sheet l March 13, 1934. R. K, MILLS 1,951,102

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1932 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 13,1934.

R. K. MILLS v 1,951,102

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1932 8 SheelLs--Sheetl 3 Il ll lMarch 13, 1934. R. K. MILLS CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 19328 Sheets-Sheet 4 R. K. MILLS I ,951,102

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE March i3, 1934.

Filed Jan. 5, 1932 8 Sheets-Sheet ..5

@fra/we yS CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1932 8 Sheets-Sheet 6@MNM/5 v R. K, MILLS CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE March 13, 1934.

Filed Jan. 5, 1932 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Patented Mar. 13, 1934 rUNITEDSTATES CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Robert Kirkland Mills,

Sherwood, Nottingham,

England, assigner to Hosiery Developments Limited, Nottingham, EnglandApplication January 5, 1932, Serial No. 584,867 In Australia September10, 1931 21 Claims.

The invention of this case relates to circular knitting machines andconsists in improvements having relation to that invention described andclaimed in my co-pending application for patent filed January 8, 1930,which application has since matured into Patent No. 1,844,781, datedFebruary 9, 1932.

The principal object of thepresent invention is to provide a circularknitting machine embodying means for producing a knitted fabric whereinthe tendency to rove or ladder is minimized or eliminated, and aparticular object is to produce non-ladder or ladder-resisting fabric ofthe type described in the specication accompanying the application forpatent Serial No. 419,228, filed by me January 8, 1930.

Broadly the present invention consists of a circular knitting machineembodying needles having a plurality of latches spaced one below anotheron the needle shank, thread-feeding means, nteans for eiTecting relativemovement between the thread feed and the needles for stitch production,means operating at predetermined times to feed thread above theuppermost latch to produce an ordinary knitted stitch and meansoperating at other predetermined times to feed thread between thelatches to produce a locked or tied stitch.

The diierent types of stitches, i. e. locked or tied stitches andordinary or tying stitches are produced by providing needle-operatingcam mechanism so designed or operated as to displace the needles atpredetermined times to an extent for receiving thread above theuppermostlatch, i. e. in the needle hook, and at other predeterminedtimes to displace said needles to a com.- paratively greater extent soas to take thread between the latches.

This variation in the degree of motion imparted to the needles may beeffected by the employment of two 'needle-operating cams of differentconstruction or design, or by periodical adjustment of one and the samecam or a part or parts associated therewith. The operation of theaforesaid cam or cams is preferably such as to cause the locked or tiedand the ordinary or tying stitches to be produced alternately; and wheretwo needleoperating cams are installed in the machine, that forproducing the locked or tied stitches may be dsplaceable into and out ofoperative position.

The machine in accordance with this invention also, in come instances,includes means whereby when a needle-operating cam for producing lockedor tied stitches is movableI into and' out of an operative position, asinker cam and thread feeding device associated with said needle cam aresimultaneously: moved into and out of operation.

For the purpose of more fully describing the nature of this inventionreference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, whereinr-Figure 1 illustrates a double latch needle suitable for use in a machinein accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 illustrates in perspective the top of the needle cylinder andsinker carrier in a circular knitting machine in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention, the latch ring and thread-feedingmeans being omitted.

Figure 3 illustrates in side elevation one construction of automaticallydisplaceable needleoperating cam mechanism for producing locked or tiedstitches.

Figure 4 is a plan view of Figure 3 showing the cam mechanism in theoperative position.

Figure 5 is an interior elevation, somewhat en- 75 larged, of the cammechanism shown in Figures 3 and 4, the path traversed by the needlebutts being indicated.

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation on A-A of Figure 5.

Figure '7 illustrates in elevation mechanism for imparting motion to asinker cam which operates in conjunction with the locked stitchneedleoperating cam mechanism shown in Figures 3 to 6.

Figure 8 is a plan of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is an enlarged plan of an adjustable carrier for the sinkercam.

Figure 10 is a sectional elevation on B-B of Figure 9, a sinker andthread being shown coacting with a needle.

Figure 11 illustrates in part sectional elevation a thread feedassociated with a locked stitch needle-operating cam and means forcontrolling the movement of said'feed.

Figure 12 is a plan of Figure 11.

Figure 13 is an enlarged sectional elevation through the thread feedshown in Figure 11.

Figure 14 illustrates seven successive steps in the production of anordinary knitted stitch followed by a locked or tied stitch.

Figure 15 illustrates diagrammatically two sets of superimposed camsapplicable for use in a circular knitting machine in accordance withanother embodiment of the present invention.

Figures 16, 17, 18 and 19 are sectional detail views illustrating theco-operation between the cams and needles at the positions P1, P2, P3and P4 respectively in Figure 15.

Figures 20 and 21 illustrate a needle-operating cam adjustable forproducing both ordinary stitches and locked or tied stitches at will,Figure 20 showing the cam adjusted for producing ordinary stitches andFigure 21 the position of the cam for producing locked stitches.

Figure 22 illustrates in part sectional elevation one side of a circularknitting machine in accordance with a further embodiment of thisinvention, such machine being adapted for knitting a selvedged andfashioned non-ladder fabric.

Figure 23 is another part sectional elevational view of the machineshown in Figure 22.

Figure 24 illustrates diagrammatically needleoperating cams employed inthe machine shown in Figures 22 and 23.

Figure 25 illustrates an adjustable needle-operating cam applicable foruse in a circular machine for knitting fabric by reciprocation, the cambeing shown in position for producing ordinary stitches.

Figure 26 is another view of the cam shown in Figure 25 but illustratingsame adjusted for producing locked or tied stitches.

Figures 27 and 28 illustrate means for automatically adjusting the camdevice shown in Figures 25 and 26.

In machines according to the present invention latch needles areemployed which are distinguished from ordinary latch needles in thatsame are provided with a plurality of latches spaced one below anotheron the needle shank. A suitable needle is shown by way of example inFigure 1 of the drawings, there being two independently pivoted latches1, 2 spaced one below the other on the shank 3 so that when the toplatch 1 is lowered and the bottom latch 2 raised, the latter abutsagainst or overlaps the latch 1, and said top latch when raised closesthe hook 4 in the usual manner.

One construction of circular kniting machine will now be described withreference to Figures 2 to 13 of the drawings, which machine embodies twoneedle-operating cams, one functioning to produce ordinary stitches andthe other locked or tied stitches, said two cams being arranged in themachine to operate on the needles substantially closely in succession.In Figure 2 the position of the ordinary stitch cam is indicated by thecomparatively low needle wave at OC, while the position of the lockedstitch cam is indicated by the comparatively high needle wave at LC, aseparate thread being fed to the needles at each cam.

'Ihe stitch cam for producing the ordinary stitches is of any customarydesign and consequently needs no particular description here; it beingsufficient to say that said cam functions to project a needle to anextent sufficient to clear an existing thread loop thereon below thelatch 1 and take new thread in its hook and subsequently retracted toknock over.l The production -of locked stitches, however, necessitates aspecially constructed or designed cam which operates to project a needleto an extent sucient to clear the old loop below both latches 1 and 2and receive new thread between the latches instead of in the needlehook.

Where the two cams are installed in the machine to produce ordinary andlocked stitches alternately, as is the case in the machine illustratedin Figures 2 to 13, the successive motions imparted to a needle are asshown in Figure 14. In this gure, the rst position reading from the leftshows the needle raised by the ordinary stitch cam to clear an old loop5 and receive new thread 6 in the hook 4, Said Cam then 1OW- ering theneedle to knock over at the second position and form a normal stitch. Atthe third position the locked stitch cam has commenced to operate on theneedle and raised same to clear the retained loop 6 below the top latchl followed by a short downward motion (effected by a small auxiliary camhereinafter described) to ensure the loop 6 passing to the rear of theraised bottom latch 2 (see fourth position). The upward motion is thencontinued to the fth position wherein further thread 7 from a secondfeed is fed between the latches and the loop 6 cleared beneath the lowerlatch 2. On the subsequent downward motion the cleared loop 6 is passedover the overlapping latches 1, 2 into the needle hook (see positionsix) thus drawing the new loop 7 through said loop 6, the continueddownward movement knocking over said new loop 7 and causing same tobecome tied on said loop 6.

To enable the production of locked stitches to be eiected anddiscontinued as and when desired means are advantageously provided forwithdrawing the locked stitch cam and its associated thread feed out ofoperation at predetermined intervals so as not to function on theneedles and for returning same to the operative position withoutdiscontinuing the production of ordinary or unlocked stitches.

One suitable construction of locked stitch cam device and means formoving same into and out of operation is illustrated in Figures 3 to 5.In these figures the locked stitch cam device comprises four cam bits 8,9, 10 and l1 arranged for displacement radially of the machine, two ofthe cam bits 8 and 9 being mounted on slidable block 12 and theremaining two cam bits 10 and 1l being mounted on slidable block 13,said blocks 12 and 13 having tail pieces 12a. and 13a respectively whichare guided in their radial sliding movement within fixed brackets 14 and15. When the cam device is in operation the rst cam bit 8 operates onthe needle butts to raise the needles to the third position shown inFigure 14, the cam bit 9 being an auxiliary cam which produces a shortdownward motion of the needles to bring the old thread loop between thelatches as in the fourth position in Figure 14; the third cam bit l0then raises the needles to the feeding position and the nal cam bit 11withdraws the needles to the knocking over position.

The needles in one half of the cylinder may be provided with long buttsand the remainder with half butts in the manner customary in circularmachines for knitting stockings where a propor- Jfion of the needles areraised out of action for knitting by reciprocation during the heel andtoe. When the radially displaceable vcam device requires to be broughtinto operation after having been withdrawn, the inward movement isaccomplished in two steps through lever mechanism from the main cam drum16 of the machine. The rst step is effected during the time the shortbutts are passing the cam and causes said cam rst to coact with andoperate the long butt needles, the second step being effected tocompletethe inward movement while the cam is coacing with said full butts, thuscausing said cam to operate both long andshort butt needles. If desiredthe locked stitch cam may be approximately half the thickness of thenormal stitch cam. The withdrawal of the cam is effected in one motion.

The locked stitch cam device is projected into and retained in itsoperative position by springs 17 (Figure 6), a screw adjustment 18accurately determining the extent to which the cams are projected, andthe radial displacement of the two cam blocks 12 and 13 to Withdraw thecams out of operation may be effected through the intermediary of twolongitudinally slidable bars 19, 20, each having a bevelled end facecoacting with an upstanding stop or the like 21 associated with eachtail piece 12a, 13a of the sliding blocks 12, 13, or With a roller 21aon said stop. The opposite end of each of the two bars 19, 20 isfurnished with a roller or truck 22, each truck coacting with the uppercurved or bevelled end of a vertical or substantially vertical liftingrod 23, two of such rods being provided, one appertaining to the bar 19and the other to the bar 20. The lower end of each lifting rod 23 (whichmay be bevelled) coacts with the cam drum 16 on Which are provided twosuitably spaced cam rises 16a. The cam rises 16a are, as aforesaid,furnished with two steps so that the falling movement of the liftingrods 23 from their respective cam rises 16a is accomplished in two stepsand permis of the cam springs 17 effecting an initial movement of thelocked stitch cam device while same coacts with the short butts and afinal movement while said cam coacts with the long butts.

A sinker cam is also moved radially into and out of operation insynchronism with the radially displaeeable locked siteh camabove-described. To this end the sinker cam 24 (Figures 9 and 10) issecured on the underside of a radially displaceable carrier plate 25which is guided in its movement in fixed guides 26, a plate or portion27 intermediate the carrier 25 and cam 24 coacting with a peripheralflange 28 to determine the degree of outward movement of the carrier 25and cam 24, while an adjustable screw stop 29 on the carrier 25 is alsoadapted to coact with said fiange 28 to determine the degree of inwardmovement of the sinker cam. The sinker cam 24 is so shaped that whensame is fully projected inwardly the butts 30a of the sinkers 30 travelround the machine without being effected by said cam, it beingunderstood that the sinker cam is moved to its projec' ed or inoperativeposition when the locked stitch cam before-described is inoperative.

To withdraw the sinker cam to its operative position, i. e. to aposition wherein the sinker butts 30a are caused to traverse the curvedface of said cam, pivoted lever mechanism is provided operated by a lif.ing rod 3l from the aforesaid cam drum 16. In the arrangementillustrated in the drawings a centrally pivoted lever 32 is connected atits one extremity to an upstanding pin 33 on the sinker cam carrier 25and coacts at its oher extremity with an adjustable screw stop 34aprovided on an arm 34 connected to a vertical pivot or rotatable member35 to the lower end of which member is connected a second arm 36coacting at its extremity with the upper curved or bevelled end of thelifting rod 31. A spring 37 associated wi h the upstanding pivot 35serves to` ,E maintain the arm 36 in engagement with the Additionally,fine adjustment of the sinker cam is effected in a circumferentialdirection, preferably by screw mechanism, thus enabling the length ofthread loops drawn and the tightness of stitches produced to becontrolled. In one method of doing this a screw-threaded spindle 39terminatingin a knurled knob 40 is mounted within an axially rotatableelement 41 on the carrier plate 25, the threaded portion of said spindle39 being screwed through an enlarged head 42 of a pin 43 which projectsdown through an arcuate slot 44 in the carrier 25 and is screwed intothe sinker cam 24. By rotating the spindle 39 the head 42 of the pin 43is traversed axially on said spindle and the cam 24 thereby adjustedvcircumferentially of the machine. One or more additional headed screws45 passing through an l elongated slot or slots 46 in the carrier 25 andscrewed to the cam 23 function to assist in the guiding of said camduring its adjustment.

Simultaneously with the radial movement of the locked stitch cam andsinker cam, a thread feed associated with said cams is moved into andout of operation. In one method of accomplishing this the thread feedermay comprise a vertically guided and dispa-ceable plate member 47.

adapted to be depressed from the non-feeding position to the feedingposition against resist- 'ance of a spring 48 (Figure 13) by a lever 49which extends substantially horizontally from and is pivoted about aspindle 50 which constitutes the common axis or fulcrum for pivotallydisplaceable thread feeders 5l serving to feed thread to the needles atthe position of the ordinary or unlocked stitch cam.

While the locked stitch cam is in operation, the feeder 47 associatedtherewith is maintained depressed by causing a lifting rod 52 to coactwith and ride upon a cam rise 53 on the aforesaid cam drum and pressupwardy upon a tail portion 49a o-f the aforesaid pvoted lever 49coacting with the said feeder. When, however, the cam and feeder are tobe withdrawn from operationsay for example when the machine reciprocatesfor producing the heel and toe o-f a stockingthe lifting rod 52 movesoff the cam rise 53, thus permitting the pivoted lever 49 to swing upunder the influence of a spring 54 and release ing the thread feed 47which is raised by its associated spring 48. The movement of the feedercan be adjusted by a screw device 55 on the coacting pivoted lever 49.

In a modified construction of circular ma-I earn race registering withor being in vertical alignment with the locked stitch cam of the otherrace, see Figure 15. In such a machine the double latch needles are eachprovided with two vertically spaced butts, selected of said needles N(Figures 16 and 18) having long upper butts 56 and short lower butts'57, while the remaining needles N1 (Figures 17 and 19) have the longerbutts 56 lowermost and the shorter butts 57 uppermost. In Figure l5groups of needles N are shown alternatingv with groups of the needles N`only the butts of the needles being shown for the sake of clearness, andeach group being shown by way of example as consisting of three needles.The thickness or dimension radially of the machine of the cam bits whichcomprise the ordinary stitch cams OC is greater than the thickness ofthe cam bits comprising the locked stitch cam LC. The arrangement issuch that at one knitted course the longer butts of the needles N willcoact with an ordianry stitch cam, while the shorter butts of saidneedles will miss the locked stitch cam of lesser thickness ,and thusproduce ordinary knitted stitches; the needles N1 at the same coursebeing operated to produce locked stitches by the engagement of theirlower long butts with the locked stitch cam. At the next succeedingcourse the needles N, which previously produced ordinary stitches, willbe raised to a greater height by the engagement -of their long upperbutts with a locked stitch camv and thus produce locked stitches, whilethe needles Nl will produce ordinary stitches by reason of the fact thattheir upper short butts will miss the locked stitch cam and their lowerlong butts will be operated upon by the ordinary stitch cam. Thus itwill be appreciated that by an arrangement of cams as above togetherwith needles having long and short butts, selected of said needles will,on alternate courses, produce locked stitches while the remainingneedles produce ordinary stitches, and on the remaining alternatecourses the operation will be reversed, that is to say, the needleswhich on the last preceding course knitted plain stitches will producethe locked stitches and vice versa.

In Figures 20 and 21 of the accompanying drawings a needle cam device isillustrated applicable for use in a circular knitting machine andcapable of being adjusted so as to vary the height to which the doublelatch needles are projected, and by so doing produce either ordinary orlocked stitches at will. In the construction illustrated, the peakportion 58 of the cam C is vertically slidable within a slot or recess59 in said cam, a second and auxiliary cam bit 60 being alsoadvantageously slidable within a second slot or recess 61. Two cam bits58 and 60 are connected by vertical arms 62 to a part 63 carrying atruck or roller 64 which coacts with a travelling chain 65, saidtravelling chain having at predetermined intervals high links 66 whichare adapted to coact with the aforesaid truck 64. Suitable spring meanssuch as 67 operate to maintain the truck 64 in engagement with atravelling chain.

When the truck 64 is in its lowermost position clear of the high link 66the two cam bits 58, 60 are lowered within their slots to the positionshown in Figure 20 and in this position the needle butts traverse thepath indicated by the arrows and produce ordinary knitted stitches.When, however, a high link 66 engages with the truck 64 the two cam bits58, 60 are raised against the resistance of a spring 67, thus causingthe needles to traverse the path indicated and rise to a greater heightso as to produce locked stitches in the manner previously described. Theauxiliary cam bit 60 operating in conjunction with the peak cam bit 58serves to bring an existing loop on the needles positively between thetwo latches during the upward motion of the needles to take thread whenproducing a locked stitch. The travelling chain may be intermittentlytraversed by pawl and ratchet mechanism 68, or any other approvedmechanism may be employed for this purpose. #If desired, the high links.66 may be so spaced on the chain as to cause ordinary and lockedstitches to be produced on alternate knitted courses.

In a further modification a ycircular knitting machine may` be employedwhich operates to produce fiat fashioned or shaped fabric with selvedgededges by imparting continuous rotary motion to the needle-operatingcams. On such a machine, which is illustrated in Figures 22, 23 and 24,a plurality of independent selvedged blanks can be simultaneouslyproduced by employment of two continuously and oppositely rotatingneedle cams 69 and 70 (see Figure 24) and by also employing twocontinuously and oppositely rotating sinker cams, said oppositely movingcams being arranged to pass one another at positions in the machine voidof needles.

All of the needles in the machine are operated by each of the stitchcams, which cams operate alternately, independent thread-feeding meansbeing provided for each fabric blank being produced, and each of saidfeeds (one of which is shown at 71 in Figure 22) being traversed firstin one direction and then in an opposite direction so as to causesuccessive courses to be knit in opposite directions.

In order to produce on this type of machine alternate courses of lockedor tied stitches, the cams 69 and 70 are differently designed, the cam69 being of the customary formation applicable for producing ordinary orunlocked stitches, while the cam is designed to raise the double latchneedles to a, higher position than the cam 69 so as to cause the threadto be fed between the latches instead of into the needle hook and by sodoing produce tied or locked stitches.

It -will be appreciated that as the cams 69 and 70 operate on theneedles in succession, alternate courses of locked or tied stitches areproduced.

The width of the fabric, or each fabric portion being knitted, is variedduring production, this being conveniently eiected by simultaneouslyraising from an inoperative to an operative position a predeterminednumber of needles at predetermined intervals at each side of the groupor groups of operative needles so as to widen the fabric to the requiredextent.

For this purpose a pair of lifting elements 72 may be provided (Figures22 and 23) one of such elements being fixed to a circumferentiallytoothed ring 73 and the other to a second circumferentially toothed ring74 accommodated within an annular recess in the first-named ring 73.

These two lifter rings 73, 74 are raised and lowered at predeterminedintervals by means of a pluralityof suitably spaced rollers 75 which arenormally accommodated within recesses 76 in a relatively stationary ringor member 77 but are caused at the required intervals to ride upwardlyout of said recesses 76 and thereby lift the rings 73, 74 with thelifting elements 72.

The movement of the rollers 75 may be effected from a projection 78carried by and rotating with the lower cam box 79, said projection 78coacting with a radially slidable arm 80 linked to a lower radiallyextending arm 81, which arm carries a bevelled nose portion 82 adaptedwhen the arm 81 is moved radially inwards to rotate the ring 83 on whichthe rollers 75 are mounted.

The lifting rings 73, 74 are provided with circumferential ratchet teethcontinually engaged by a pair of clawker arms 84 and through the me-`dium of these clawker arms 84 the lifter rings 73,

74 are rotated step by step in opposite directions l to displace thelifting elements 72 to a position beneath successive needles for raisingthe same.

The operation of the clawkers 84 for rotating the lifting rings may beeffected intermittently from the aforesaid projecting elements 78 on thecam box '79 through the intermediary of mechanism similar to thatemployed for displacing the aforesaid lifting rollers 75.

Another type of circular machine which may be employed is that whereinflat selvedged nonladder fabric is produced by reciprocation of theneedle-operating means, and in such a machine a needle-operating camdevice is conveniently employed which can be adjusted at predeterminedintervals to produce either locked or unlocked stitches.

One such adjustable cam device applicable to a circular reciprocatingmachine is illustrated in Figures 25 to 28 of the accompanying drawings.The centre cam 85 up which the needles rise to clear their old loops andtake fresh thread, is provided with a vertically displaceable peakportion 86 which when in the lowered position (as shown in Figure 25)causes the needles to rise to a height suiiicient to receive new threadin the needle hookS and produce ordinary or unlocked stitches. When,however, the peak portion 86 is fully raised to the position shown inFigure 26, thewneedles are raised to a position in which thread isifedbetween the two latches and locked or tied stitches are thus produced,it being understood that in the production of locked stitches the cam istravelling in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 26.

When producing the locked stitches the needles are caused to traverse asmall auxiliary cam 87 during their upward movement to take thread, thepurpose of said auxiliary cam being, as before-stated, to ensure thatthe old thread loops on the needles take up a position between and atthe rear of the needle latches so as to lower the bottom latch duringthe subsequent upward movement of the needles.

Adjusted simultaneously with the peak portion 86 of the cam 85 are twoother cam elements 88, 89, which elements, when the peak portion 86 isin the lowered position, are moved downwards to the position indicatedin Figure 25 so as to cause the needle butts to traverse the pathindicated in broken lines in said gure, whereas when the peak portion 86is fully raised to produce locked stitches the two adjustable camelements 88, 89 are raised to cause the needle butts to traverse thesmall auxiliary cam along the path indicated in broken lines in Figure26.

If now the peak portion 86 and other displaceable cam elements 88, 89are adjusted on the termination of each knitted course, it will beappreciated that during the motion of the machine in one directionordinary stitches are produced and during the opposite motion lockedstitches are produced, and in this way fabric is made having lockedstitches on alternate knitted courses. One method of automaticallyadjusting the cam device on each knitted course is illustrated inFigures 27 and-28. The displaceable peak portion 86 of the centre cam 85together with the twoY movable cam elements 88, 89 may be mounted on asingle vertically slidable block or frame 90, the cam elements 86, 88and 89 being secured to said block by pins 91 coacting with verticalslots 92 in the xed portions of the cam device.

ITravelling with the cam box within which the needle-operating camdevice is installed is a horistationary stop or lug 96 and by so doingslidably displace the member 93 to a position wherein a roller or truck97 associated with the vertically displaceable cam block 90 movesdownwardly from ofi the cam rise 94 on the member 93 either by gravityor under the influence of springs 98, thus lowering thc peak portion 86and cam elements 88, 89 to a position for producing ordinary stitches.At the termination of the movement of the cam box in an oppositedirection the slidable member 93 is also displaced in an oppositedirection by engagement with a stop member 99 and in so doing 'the camrise 94 is moved beneath the roller 97 so as to raise the block 90 andwith same the cam elements 86, 88 and 89, the needle-operating camsbeing then .adjusted to produce locked or tied stitches.

If at any time it is required to continue producing successive coursesof ordinary or unlocked stitches for any predetermined length of time,this can readily be accomplished by displacing the stop member 99 to aposition wherein same will not coact with a sliding member 93. Onesuitable method of accomplishing this is by slidably mounting the stop'99 and causing same to be pressed upwardly to an operative position bya rotary cam member 100 or equivalent device, a spring 101 functioningto lower the stop 99 to an inoperative position when same is out ofengagement with the cam rise on the member 100.

I claim:-

1. In a circular knitting machine, needles having a plurality of latchesspaced one below another on the needle shank, thread-feeding means,means for eifecting relative movement between the thread feed and theneedles for stitch production, means operating at predetermined times tofeed thread` above the uppermost latch to produce ordinary knittedstitches and means operating at other predetermined times to feed adifferent thread between the latches of the same needles to producelocked or tied stitches.

2. In a circular knitting machine, needles having a plurality of latchesspaced one below another on the needle shank, thread-feeding means, cammechanism operating to displace the needles relatively to the threadfeed for stitch production, said cam mechanism functioning at times todisplace the needles to receive thread above the uppermost latches andproduce ordinary knitted stitches and at other times to displace saidneedles to receive other thread between the needle latches and producelocked or tied stitches by passing a loop of thread through and alsoaround another thread loop.

3. In a circular knitting machine, needles havplace the needles so as toclear old thread loops j v thereon beneath the lowermost latch andreceive new thread between the latchesand subsequently to draw a loop ofthe new thread through and pass same closely around the old loop so asto tie the two loops one upon another, an additional needle-operatingcam device for the same needles, additional thread feeding meansassociated therewith and said additional cam device functioning toproduce ordinary knitted stitches.

4. A -circular knitting machine as claimed in claim 3 and wherein thetwo needle-operating cam devices function in succession alternately toproduce locked or tied stitches and ordinary or tying stitches.

5. In a circular knitting machine, needles having a plurality of latchespivoted one below another on the needle shank, thread feeding means, aneedle-operating cam device functioning to displace the needles so as toclear old thread loops thereon beneath the lowermost'latch and receivenew thread between the latches and subsequently to draw a loop of theYnew thread through and pass same closely around the old loop so as totie the two loops one upon another, an Vadditional needle-operating camYdevicewfor operating the same needles, additional thread feeding meansassociated therewith, said additional Y*cam device functioning toproduce ordinary knitted stitches, and means whereby the cam device forproducing the locked or tied stitches together with the thread feedassociated therewith is movable into and out of operative position.

6. In a circular knitting machine, needles having a plurality of latchespivoted one below another on the needle shank, thread-feeding means, aneedle-operating cam device functioning to displace the needles so as toclear oldthread loops thereon beneath the lowermo-st latch and receivenew thread between the latches and subsequently to draw aloop of the newthread through and pass same closely around the old loop so as to tiethe two loops one upon another, an additional needle-operating camdevice for operating the said needles, additional thread-feeding meansassociated therewith, said Yadditional cam device functioning to produceordinary knitted stitches,

a sinker cam associated with the lockedV stitch cam, means for movingsaid locked stitch cam and its associated thread feed into and out ofoperative position, and means for moving said sinker cam intorand out ofoperative position synchronism with said locked stitch cam and itsassociated thread feed. c

7. In a circular knitting machine, needles having a plurality of pivotedlatches spaced one below the other on the needle shank,two-needleoperating cams for the said needles, a thread feed associatedwith each cam, one of said cams functioning to displace the needles to aposition wherein thread is fed into the needle hooks so as to produceordinary knitted stitches', the said cam functioning to displace theneedles to a oomparatively greater extent to receive thread between thelatches for the production of locked or tied stitches, said camsoperating on the needles in succession, means for radially displacingthe locked stitch cam into and out of operative position, a sinker camassociated with the locked stitch cam, means'for radially displacingsaid sinker cam into and out of operation and means whereby the locked:stitch cam together with the associated sinker cam and thread feed aresimultaneously moved into and Vout of operation.

8.' A circular knitting machine as claimed in claim 7 and including linkand lever mechanism operated from a control drum radially to displacethe locked stitch cam and its associated sinker into and out ofoperation.

9. A circular knitting machine as claimed in claim 7 and including meansfor variably adjusting the degree of radial displacement of the lockedstitch cam device. 'Y

10. A circular knitting machine as claimed in claim 7 and includingspring means associated with the locked stitch cam device against the'influence of which spring meanssaid cam device is displaced out ofoperation.

11. Acircular knitting machine as Aclaimed in' locked stitch cam bothradially and circumferentially of the machine.

12. In a circular knitting machine, needles having a plurality ofpivoted latches spaced one below the other on the needle shank, Vtwoneedleoperating cams for all of said needles, a thread feedY associatedwith each cam, one of said cams functioning to displace the needles .toa position wherein thread is fed into the needle hooks so as to produceordinary knitted stitches, the second cam functioning to displace theneedles to acomparatively greater extent to receive thread between thelatches for the production of locked or tied stitches, said two camsoperating on the needles in-succession, means for radially displacingthe locked stitch cam into and out of operative position, a sinker camassociated with the locked stitch cam, means for radially displacingsaid sinker cam into and out of operation, means 'Y whereby the lockedstitch cam together with the associated sinker cam and thread feed aresimultaneously movedinto and out of operation, lever mechanism operatingto displace the thread feed associated with the ordinary stitch cam,lever mechanism operating tordisplaceYY the thread feed associated withthe locked stitch cam and both of said lever mechanisms being controlledfrom one and the same control member.

13. In a circular knitting machine, needles having a plurality ofpivoted latches spaced one below another on the needle shank, twosuperimposed cam races, each cam race embodying a needle-operating camfunctioning te produce ordinary stitches and a needle-operating camfunctioning to produce locked or tied stitches,

means functioning to feed the same thread to needles operated by anordinary stitch cam and needles operated by a locked stitch cam, meanswhereby selected needles are operated by the locked stitch cam of theone raceto produce locked stitches at one position in the machine andother selected needles are operated by the locked stitch cam of thesecond race to produce locked stitches at another position in themachineVV and means whereby all of the needles so operated are alsooperated upon by the ordinary stitch cams so as successively to producelocked stitches and ordinary stitches.

14. A circular knitting machine Vas claimed in claim 13 and wherein aneedle-operating cam in one cam race for producing ordinary stitchesregisters with or is aligned Vwith the needle-operating cam in thesecond cam race for producing locked stitches. Y

15. In a circular knitting machine, needles having a plurality ofpivoted latches spaced one below another on the needle shank, eachYneedle being provided with two spaced butts of unequal length,l selectedof the needles having long upper butts and short lower butts, theremainingV needles having short upper butts and long lower butts, twosuperimposed cam races, each race embodying a needle-operating cam forproducing ordinary stitches and a needle-operating cam Vfor producinglocked stitches, thread-feeding means, the long and short butts on theneedles being operated upon by the cams of both races and said operationbeing such that selected needles on alternate courses produce lockedstitches and the remaining needles produce ordinary stitches, while onthe remaining alternate courses this operation is reversed.

16. In a circular knitting machine, needles having a plurality oflatchespivoted one below another on the needle shank, thread feedingmeans, an adjustable needle-operating cam device, means for adjustingsaid, cam device to a position wherein the needles are operated toreceive thread above the uppermost latch and produce ordinary stitchesand means for adjusting the cam device to another position wherein theneedles are operated to receive thread between the latches and producelocked or tied stitches.

17. A circular knitting machine as claimed in` claim 16, wherein theneedle-operating cam has an adjustable peak portion, said peak portionbeing movable to either of two positions, in one of which the needlesare projected to an extent to receive thread between the needle latchesfor producing locked' stitches, While in the other position Vthe needlesare projected to a comparatively shorter distance for receiving threadabove the uppermost latch and producing ordinary stitches. 18. In acircular knitting machine, needles having a plurality of pivoted latchesspaced one below another on the needle shank, a needle-operating camdevice, thread-feeding means associated with said cam device, said 'camdevice incorporating an adjustably displaceable portion, aspringinuenced member associated with said displaceable portion, atravelling member functioning at predetermined intervals to displacesaid member and cam portion against the spring influence, said camportion when moved to one position operating upon the needles to projectsame to an extent for receiving thread between the needle latches andlocked stitches are produced and when moved to another position causingsaid needles to be projected to an Aextent for receiving thread abovethe uppermost latch so as to produce ordinary stitches.

19. In a circular knitting machine, needles having a plurality oflatches spaced one below another on the needle shank, thread-feedingmeans, two needle-operating cams, means functioning simultaneously torotate said cams in opposite directions, oneof said cams operating todisplace the needles to a comparatively greater distance than the othercam, the cam which projects the needles to the greater distanceproducing locked or tied stitches, the cam which projects the needles tothe comparatively smaller distance producing ordinary stitches, and saidcams operating alternately on the needles so as to produce the locked ortied stitches on alternate courses.

20. In a circular knitting machine, needles having a plurality ofpivoted latches spaced one below another on the needle shank,thread-feeding means, a needle-operating cam, means whereby at selvedgedfabric is produced on the machine by relative reciprocation between theneedles and needle-operating cam and means whereby at predeterminedintervals said needle-operating cam is automatically adjusted to producelocked or tied stitches by projecting the needles at the thread-feedingposition to an extent greater than the normal so that the thread isreceived on the needles between the latches thereof.

21. In a circular knitting machine as claimed in claim 20, the provisionin the needle-operating cam of a plurality of displaceable portions andmeans operating automatically to displace said portions at predeterminedintervals from a position wherein the cam functions to produce ordinarystitches to a position wherein the said cam functions to produce lockedor tied stitches and vice versa.

ROBERT KIRKLAND MILLS.

